Dinner + Dialogue: Innovation in Urban Education

The future of urban public education is the subject of much debate at the federal, state, and local levels. As the economic divide between the rich and poor continues to deepen, the ability to guarantee quality education of many low-income and minority children remains uncertain.

Over the last several years, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) has deployed a variety of innovative education models to help its students succeed. In 2010, it opened the Campus International School, the only authorized International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program in Cleveland. Campus International embraces a rigorous curriculum with a focus on global studies and foreign languages. The secondary school, Campus International Upper School, opened in 2017.

CMSD is also leveraging partnerships with high-quality charter schools to help ensure that all Cleveland students have access to a quality public education. As part of a 15-mill levy initially passed in 2012 and renewed in 2016, CMSD partners with select charter schools, who then receive a portion of the levy money. Cleveland is the only city in Ohio with this unique arrangement. CMSD is also part of the Cleveland Education Compact through which it collaborates with charters across the city to better meet the needs of Cleveland students.

What is the true state of public education in Cleveland? Are these innovations successful? What else can - and should - be done to improve public education? Join us for a Dinner + Dialogue discussion with Ameer Kim El-Mallawany, Principal of Campus International Upper School, and Stephanie Klupinski, Executive Director of Charter Schools for CMSD.